Gray is gunning for points at Arsenal

Soccer: Given that Leeds are the last team to have beaten Arsenal in the Premiership, it should not have come as a shock to hear Eddie Gray insist yesterday that his players are capable of winning at Highbury tonight.

Gray's view may put him in a minority but he will recall that Leeds went to Arsenal last May and won 3-2 to secure their Premiership status and end the title hopes of Arsene Wenger's side. That was the club's second straight victory at Highbury.

An identical result would neither save Leeds nor strike a decisive blow to Arsenal but Gray could do with a repeat to lift his team out of the bottom three after Tuesday's 1-1 draw at home to Everton. Seven players from the Leeds side that played at Highbury 11 months ago are expected to feature.

"We have a good chance of winning," Gray said. "I think we can pick up all three points at Highbury because sometimes fixtures don't work out like people expect. The most important thing is what we expect from ourselves, not what other people think.

"Arsenal will want to protect their unbeaten record, and it is a fantastic achievement, but I'm convinced we can go there and pick something up. A win is not out of the question."

Leeds include Jermaine Pennant, on loan from Arsenal. Gray said the youngster will "relish going back to his own club and hopefully putting one over on them".

Wenger has not prevented Pennant from playing because he believes that would be wrong.

The manager is looking for Arsenal to continue their positive reaction to FA Cup and Champions League defeats. He feels the squad's response in beating Liverpool and drawing at Newcastle points to even brighter times ahead.

"I believe the team can grow from here and go up to the next level because of the way they responded after such a big disappointment (in the Champions League)," he said. "It makes me very optimistic for the future."

He summed up his team's desire for trophies in unusual fashion. "We behave like a hungry guy because we want to eat everything," he said before reflecting on defeat to Chelsea in Europe.

"It was very hurtful but it doesn't mean that we have had a crap season," he said.

"The only regret I have is we had the semi-final of the FA Cup just three days before."

Wenger called the Premiership the "biggest trophy" and the European Cup the "most prestigious one".

Leeds were flourishing in both a few seasons ago and the Frenchman said: "It shows you should enjoy it while you are up there because it can change quickly."

Wenger, who is without Ashley Cole and Freddie Ljungberg, responded to comments by the Ajax coach Ronald Koeman that it would be "fantastic" if Dennis Bergkamp returned to the Amsterdam club. Koeman said Ajax "must try to bring (Bergkamp) here" and Wenger said he had agreed to sit down with Bergkamp at the end of this month or the start of next for talks.

Thierry Henry is again among the nominees for the Players' Player of the Year award at the PFA's annual awards dinner at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Sunday, April 25th.

But last year's winner faces immense competition from the other five nominees, Liverpool's Steven Gerrard, Newcastle striker Alan Shearer, Frank Lampard of Chelsea, Bolton's Nigerian midfielder Jay-Jay Okocha and Henry's Arsenal team-mate Patrick Vieira.

It promises to be a close run thing for the Young Player of the Year title too, as Chelsea trio John Terry, Glen Johnson and Scott Parker are up against Arsenal's Kolo Toure, Everton's Wayne Rooney and Manchester City's Shaun Wright-Phillips.